As KISS once said, "you wanted the best, you got the best" and it appears fans will keep "getting the best."
Despite announcing their final concert ever next month at Madison Square Garden in NYC, KISS will continue on after they retire from performing.
In an interview with Windsor/London, ON magazine, 519, Gene Simmons says that there is no plan to put the bed to rest. In fact, quite the contrary.
“This tour is the end of the road for the band, not the brand," Simmons says. "KISS is a universe of its own—movies, merchandise, maybe even Broadway. The band will end, but the KISS experience… it’s immortal.”
With Simmons and Stanley now in their 70s, it makes sense for KISS to put an end to playling live, which Simmons says takes its toll on a touring schedule.
“It’s the end of touring,” he says. “You’re very smart in seeing that. We are the hardest-working band on stage. I’ve got 40 pounds of armor and all the rest of it and seven-inch platform heels. Each of the dragon boots weighs as much as a bowling ball. Physically, it’s tough to do that.”
Simmons, however, ensures fans that performances will continue after he and Stanley retired. “The KISS show will live on in different ways," he explains. "Yes, that’s being planned. It’ll also be four to ten different traveling shows. So, you’ll be able to be in Japan and have Japanese actors, musicians being us, and at the same time you could go to Vegas or New York or London.”
But even if there is no band to see performing on stage, there is a whole slew of activity currently in progress to keep the band's name and brand alive.
“KISS will continue,” he adds. “There’s a KISS museum in Las Vegas at the Rio called KISS World, and oh my goodness, we have KISS cruises, a movie coming out [on Netflix], and we’re working on a cartoon show, a lot of stuff. And of course, all the fun toys and games that will continue.”
KISS are currently on the road in Canada, performing tonight (November 15) in Winnipeg, followed by shows in Montreal (November 18), Quebec City (November 19), Ottawa/Kanata (November 21), and then finally Toronto (November 22). More information can be found here.